Restaurant Review: Stella and Rocket Room at Bonifacio High Street (+ a Giveaway)

I got the chance to try Stella for the first time through the invitation of Aldous. I have been working in BGC for almost three years, but I never really had the chance to try the restaurants on that side of Bonifacio High Street Central. I don’t know why, but I have already been to most of the restaurants in the opposite side. Isn’t that weird? So I guess Stella will forever hold the prestige of being the first. Haha!

Stella is another venture of Raintree Restaurants, the same company that brought us restaurants like Saboten, MoMo Café and Simple Lang, to name a few. I love Saboten and MoMo Café, so my hopes went beyond the ceiling after I learned about it. Beside Stella is Rocket Room which is also a part of Raintree. Our hosts were so generous to let us try some items from Rocket Room’s menu. How lucky am I to try two restaurants that day for the first time? Guests can actually order from both restaurants. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone! =)

I love the simple and cozy interiors of Stella. It’s not that big, making it perfect for intimate gatherings, even romantic dates with your special someone! There are more seats outside. I’m guessing these are perfect for those big groups who are up for an all-nighter of drinking and chatting.

Our hosts welcomed us with one of their bestsellers – Crispy Pork Belly Chips! Thou shalt not underestimate these tiny creatures. The chef told us that they brine the pork belly for 24 hours, braised for an hour before it hits the deep fryer! What a tedious process just to give Stella’s diners the satisfaction of munching on these crunchy treats. Pair it with the sukang pinakurat, and you’ll definitely go crazy over it. It was the perfect way to jumpstart the night!

Crispy Pork Belly Chips PHP250

Stella brags of their wood-fired pizzas. I love wood-fired pizzas because I get the uneven, imperfectly burnt and crunchy crust. Imagine my delight when the Fire Roasted Truffled Mushroom Pizza was served to us. This pizza is very different from the usual. You don’t get the famous meaty toppings like ham, bacon and pepperoni. But instead, you’ll get the light yet savory mushrooms, herbs and cheese. Not used to just having these three in a pizza, my taste buds took a while to get accustomed with the flavors. I felt like something was missing. But when Michele, one of our hosts, suggested we drizzle it with chili oil, it made a big difference! And just as expected, the crust is divinely crunchy.

Fire Roasted Truffled Mushroom Pizza PHP395

We also got to try Pesto Seafood & Vegetables Pizza. Topped generously with prawns, crab meat, salmon, broccoli and cauliflower, this will surely be a hit to the seafood lovers and health buffs. I was initially having second thoughts in giving this a try. Because if you’re an avid reader of this blog, then you probably know that fish is my least favorite among the members of the food chain. Haha! I really have this weird and almost bionic nose, so I don’t like the smell of fish. But surprisingly, I finished a slice of this pizza. I’m guessing that the citrusy flavor of the lemon and the sweetness of the dill erased all the fishy smell and taste.

Pesto Seafood & Vegetables Pizza PHP420

It seems that the Crispy Pork Belly Chips were not enough, our hosts also indulged us with Stella’s Porchetta! (I think they should hire a nurse to check on their diners’ blood pressure, haha!) But seriously, this has got to be the most eye-catching porchetta I have ever seen. Those I’ve seen in the Food Network Channel will pale in comparison. Picture this - pork belly roll stuffed with double smoked bacon and herbs! Each bite gave my taste buds a feast of different layers of yumminess. Aside from the fact that it’s flavorful, I love the varying textures of this dish. The skin is very crunchy, while the core is very moist and tender.

Stella’s Porchetta PHP395

The Spicy Calamari was also a big winner that night. The salty and spicy coating reminds me so much of the flavorings of my favorite packaged snack. I know you can relate to me that licking your fingers after finishing a pack is the best part of eating junk food. But the coating of this calamari is way better! The squid rings are also cooked to perfection. Don’t you hate it when you get confused thinking, “Is this calamari or a portion of a car tire?!” :p

Spicy Calamari

The Chile Lime Chicken was also a big hit that night. It’s not that spicy, but it has that distinct kick.

Chile Lime Chicken

I love anything slow roasted. Anything that takes time to perfect appeals to me. That’s why I got a bit excited with the Slow Roasted Truffled Beef Belly. It’s packed with mushrooms and tons of garlic confit. The aroma of this dish is so inviting. The meat is very tender, and each bite is infused with so much flavors.

Slow Roasted Truffled Beef Belly PHP595

I love Callos. My mother cooks this specific dish very well so I’m very particular with this. Unlike my mother’s Callos which is on the sweet side because of the tomato sauce, carrots and hotdogs, the Wood Fired “Callos a la Stela” is more pungent. Loaded with Spanish chorizo, double smoked bacon, beef tripe, garbanzos, roasted bell peppers & roasted tomato, this dish is very far from the one I grew up with. Each time I spoon a Callos, I am reminded of Forrest Gump’s way of thinking towards life – it’s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. Haha! There was a symphony of flavors inside my mouth at each bite.

Wood Fired “Callos a la Stela” PHP495

I also got to try the Chorizo Nachos. I am used to having ground beef in nachos so replacing it with chorizo is a welcomed changed for me. (When this was served to us, I told myself, “This place hates chorizo!!!”) I know a lot of people who despise the taste and smell of chorizos. Good thing I loved it. And luckily, the chefs at Stella and Rocket Room love chorizos, too! :p

Chorizo Nachos

I love broccoli so it was a delight for me when they served us with Wood Fired Cauliflower & Broccoli. I love eating grilled veggies, but it was my first time to eat wood-fired vegetables. I love that distinct smoky flavor that you can’t find in grilling vegetables. Plus, it’s topped with cheese. Lots of it!

Wood Fired Cauliflower & Broccoli PHP195

I already made up my mind that I would not be trying their Salt Baked Gindara Fillet. On the many times that I ate gindara at home, my tummy would always go on a rollercoaster ride. My father told me that it’s because of the oil of the fish. Mama compared eating gindara to taking Xenical. :p But because a foodie needs to do her job, and my seatmate at that time told me how good it is, I took all the courage I could get to give it a try. Well, it’s very delicious! The dip made me forget that I’m eating fish! It’s citrusy with a hint of sweetness.

Salt Baked Gindara Fillet PHP450

Spanish Chorizo Stuffed Prawns came late that night. I already hid my camera in my bag because I thought that our feast was over. My seatmate, fellow blogger Elal, laughed when I said, “Hala! Meron pa?!” I was already too full to try this, but I love prawns and chorizo so I couldn’t resist the temptation. Plus, I don’t want to look like the ungrateful guest who says “NO” to food. Haha! I’m glad I tried this, though. It’s very tasty!

Spanish Chorizo Stuffed Prawns PHP575

My tummy (along with my soul) was going into hibernate mode when they started bringing out desserts! Again, who am I to say no to good food? :p They let us try two kinds of cake. I’m pretty sure one is Red Velvet, but I totally forgot the other one. (My brain probably stopped functioning after everything I ate, haha!) It doesn’t matter, because both cakes taste really good. My photos probably failed to illustrate how succulent the cakes are, so you just have to trust my word. =)

Mystery Cake #1

Mystery Cake #2

But I have to apologize to the cakes because my favorite has got to be the Stella's Wood Fired Chocolate Almond Cookie Dough! I died and went to ice cream heaven after tasting this! The cookie dough is topped with ice cream, salted caramel and rosemary pistachios. Guys, in case you get into a big fight with your wife/girlfriend and you need a peace offering, bring her to Stella and get her this! She will forgive you in an instant! Haha! It’s really, really, really good!!!

Stella's Wood Fired Chocolate Almond Cookie Dough PHP195

You can probably sense from this post how much I enjoyed my dining experience at Stella and Rocket Room. And because I love you, my dear readers, I will give you the chance to experience it, too! Our hosts that night are feeling generous so they are giving away PHP1000-worth of GC to a lucky reader which he/she can avail at Stella and Rocket Room! How cool is that?!

I would have used Rafflecopter just like I did in my previous giveaways, but using it now is a pain in the you-know-where because of the new Facebook guidelines. So, let’s just do this the traditional way. In short, mano-mano! :p

This is open to Metro Manila residents only, unless you’re from Cebu, Davao, Palawan or anywhere in the Philippines but still willing to go to Bonifacio High Street in Taguig, then you’re welcomed too!

8. Tweet about this giveaway including the link of this blog post. (2 points)

9. Share this giveaway on Facebook including the link of this blog post. (2 points)

10. Post any of the photos above on your Instagram account including the link of this post. Also include #raintreerestaurants #stellarocket. (2 points)

And the most important thing is to comment on this post (whether through your Google or Facebook account) indicating the following: your name, Twitter and Instagram handles and the hyperlinks of your Twitter, Instagram and Facebook posts of this giveaway. Make sure your posts are set to PUBLIC so I can verify if you really shared this giveaway on your social media accounts. And you also have to include how many points you earned from the 10 steps above. (So dapat, magaling kayo sa Math, haha!) For example:

Name: Jerellt Abenoja-Andrade

Twitter: dahwanderer

Instagram: dahwanderer

I shared this on Facebook: (include the link of your Facebook post and make sure that the post is set to PUBLIC)

I tweeted this giveaway: (include the link of your tweet and make sure that the post is set to PUBLIC)

I shared this on Instagram: (include the link of your Instagram post and make sure that the post is set to PUBLIC)

I earned 13 points for this giveaway!

Contest ends on December 7, 2014!

Good luck! =)

And thank you for bearing with me as I host this old-fashioned giveaway. Now, I need to find a tambiolo for the drawing of the winner! :p